Mechanical calendar



sept. 24, 1940. E; L HOSTETLER 2,215,552

MECHANICAL CALENDAR Filed July 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Shes?I l Tlf/3,4'.

A 67de L. Hose/er WITNESS Y v l @prof/112,134

Sapt. 24,' 1940. E. 1.. Hos'rETLER 2,215,552"

MECHANICAL CALENDAR Filed July 7, '193e 2 sheets-sheet 2 TTI/g, 17H/(g. 6,

Patented Sept. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANICAL CALENDAR Ontario, Calif.

Application July 7, 1938, Serial No. 218,002

1 Claim.

the day names and the month names, and in which a clock train or other chronometric mechanism acts as part of the operating means for the exhibiting means.

The exhibiting means includes one or more webs, ribbons or tapes to be intermittently moved in such manner as to be unwound from one rotatable member and simultaneously wound on another rotatable member, and one of the foremost objects of the invention is to make novel provision whereby the tape or the like may be so fed and the two rotatable members so turned at the proper relative speeds, to both prevent' slack in said :tape or the like and to prevent excessive tension thereon, even though the amount of tape on the one rotatable member is gradually increasing and that on the other rotatable member gradually decreasing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unique means for actuating the tape-feeding means only every twenty-four hours, the change preferably taking place between eleven p. m. and one a. m.

A still further object is to provide a novel construction which may be easily set back and' readjusted at the end of any year and may be made to take care of the twenty-ninth day occurring in February during leap years.

A still further object is to provide a construction which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive and will nevertheless be reliable and durable.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished .by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation partly broken away and in section showing a calendar clock embodying the invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal sectional views on lines 2-2 and 3-3 respectively of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section on line lI-Il of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the parts in readiness to start advancing the calendar at 11 p. m.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the relation which exists after the calendar has been advanced one step, this relation existing at 1 a. m.

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Figs. 5 and 6 but showing the tappet wheel, at 11 a. In., in readiness to again move but without effecting any advance of the calendar.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figs. 5, 6 and '7 but showing the relation which exists at l p. m.

(Cl. 40--1l'7) Fig. 9 is adetail sectional perspective View showing a modification.

In the drawings above briefly. described, a pre- -ferred construction has been illustrated, and while this construction will be rather specifically explained, it is to be understood at the outset that variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Suitably mounted in a casing C, preferably a clock casing, are two shafts I0 and Ill' both of which may rotate, preferably with a sufcient degree of friction to securely hold them against accidental rotation from any position to which they may be turned. Tape of metal, fabric or other preferred material or materials, is wound partially on the shaft I0 and partially on the shaft IU'. In the present disclosure, the tape just mentioned consists of three separate tapes II, I2 and I3, andeach shaft is provided with three spool portions I4, I5 and I6 for said tapes II, I2 and I3, respectively. While normally the three spool portions I4, I5 and I6 of either shaft I0 or I0 rotate bodily as a single unit, the spool portions I4 of said shafts are secured to the latter by set screws or the like I'I, allowing rotative adjustment of said spool portions I4 with respect to the portions I5 and I6 when the calendar is to be adjusted at the end of the year or the beginning of the next, according to the day on which the new year starts. One end of the shaft Ill is suitably shaped as at I8 for engagement with a key (not shown) by means of which the tapes I I, I2 and I3 may be reset for the new year, all the spool portions I4, I5 and I6 then rotating bodily as a single unit. After this resetting, however, the set screws I'I are loosened to permit any necessary relative adjustment of the tapes to initially set the calendar. The tape I2 displays the week day names (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.) and the tape I I displays the months and the dates (January 1, January 2, January 3, etc.; February l, February 3, etc.) For the month of February, I may provide either the dates which said month contains in ordinary years (1 to 28) or the dates which February contains in leap years (1 to 29). If twentyeight dates be allotted to February, every leap year the mechanism must be setback one step on February 29. Otherwise, on February 29th, it would show March 1st. If twenty-nine dates be allotted to February, in years which are not leap years, vthe mechanism must be advanced onestep on March 1st. Otherwise, it would show February 29th instead of March 1st. Setting back one step or advancing one step, according to the number of dates allotted to- February, may be readily accomplished by hand.

A continuous belt I9 is trained around the portions of the tape I3 wound on the shafts I and I0', said wound tape portions being specifically.

designated at 43a and |31. These wound tape portions I3a and I3b constitute pulleys cooperable with the belt i8, the diameter of one of said pulleys gradually decreasing and that of the other gradually increasing as the two shafts are turned to wind the tapes II, I2 and I3 from one shaft to the other. The pulleys I3au and I-Sb thus serve to insure proper relative speeds f the two shafts to allow unwinding of the tapes from one shaft and simultaneous winding on the other shaft, without permitting any slack in said 'tapes and without exerting undue tension thereon. Also, the feeding means which effects turning of the two shafts, directly coacts with the belt I9 and every twenty-four hours moves this belt only to a predetermined extent, it thus being insured that the tapes iI and I2 shall move to the same extent. In order to obtain this result, it is of course necessary that all of the tapes be wound unidirectionally on the spool portions I4, I5 and I6 of the shaft I8 and that said tapes be wound unidirectionally on the spool portions of the shaft IU. It is also necessary that all of the wound tape portions on the shaft Il) bear the same relation with all of the wound` tape portions on the shaft Iii. In other words, if the wound portion of one tape on the shaft IG at any one time, be one-half the diameter of the wound portion of the same tape on the shaft lil', it isrnecessary that this same relation exist between the wound portions of the other tapes.

The feeding means preferably comprises a pawl 20, a lever 2| to which said pawl is pivoted,

and a spring 22 for normally holding said lever in the position shown in Fig. l. Any desired provision may be made whereby the pawl 2li engages the belt I9 each time said pawl is moved in one direction and whereby said pawl will free said belt each time it is moved in the other direction. If the belt I9 be of metal construction, it may be provided with spaced notches 23 for engagement with the lateral end 24 of the pawl 20.

A tappet wheel 25 is provided to move the lever or actuator 2| every twenty-four hours, to so operate the pawl 2i! as to advance the tapes II, I 2 and I3 one notch or step, and when the movement of said lever or actuator in this manner has been completed, the star wheel 25 frees said lever or actuator and the spring 22 returns it to its normal position in readiness for the next operation. As the hour wheel 26 of a clock or similar chronometric mechanism may best be used in operating the tappet wheel 25, I have disclosed such `an arrangement. The wheel 26 makes one complete revolution in twelve hours and drives a master tappet 2l at the same speed. This master tappet 2 is cooperable successively with al1 of the tappets 28 and 29 of the tappet wheel 25 to turn this tappet wheel one step each twelve hours. However, as it is not intended that the tappet wheel 25 shall operate the lever 2| every twelve hours, I so construct said tappet wheel 25 that only its alternate tappets 29 can operate said lever, the intervening tappets 28 being so related with said lever that they will always clear the same. In` the present disclosure, the tappets 28 and 29 are in the form of radiating arms, the tappet 29 being sufficiently long to strike and operate the lever 2|, and the tappets 28 being sufficiently short to clear said lever.

Figs. 5 to 8 diagrammatically show the manner in which the elements 26, 27, 25, 2| and 2|) act to move the belt IQ and advance the tapes I I,

I2 and I3, one step or notch each twenty-four hours. The advance preferably starts at 11 p. m. as shown in Fig. 5. At this time, the tappet 2l driven by the wheel 26, has come in contact with one of the tappets 28 of the tappet wheel 25, and one of the tappets 29 of said wheel 25 is ready to move the lever 2|. Between 11 p. In. (Fig. 5) and l a. m. (Fig. 6), the tappet 2'I has turned the tappet wheel 2? one step and said tappet wheel has operated the lever 2| to advance the tapes to show the date, etc. for the new day. Just as soon as the tappet 29 which has operated the lever 2| clears said lever, the spring 22 restores the latter to its normal position, placing the pawl 2li in readiness for the next operation. At l1 a. m. (Fig. 7), the tappet 2`I has Acome in contact with one of the tappets 29 of the wheel 25 and turning of said wheel 25 is therefore'started, but during this turning, one of the tappets 28 of said wheel 25 merely clears the lever 2| without operating this lever to a-d- Vance the tapes. By 1 p. m. (Fig. 8), the movement of the tappet wheel 25 has ceased and one of its tappets 29 is then in readiness to operate the lever 2i when said wheel 25 is next turned. This next turning starts again at 11 p. m. (Fig. 5) and ceases at l a. m. (Fig. 6), as previously.

In the diagrammatic figures above referred to (Figs. 5 to 8), the hour and minute hands and the dial of a clock have been conventionally showny and this is true also of Fig. l. It is to be understood, however, that while the invention is preferably associated with a clock, this is not absolutely essential, for any adequate chronometric mechanism could be employed for purposes of operation.

It may be further explained that while a separate tape I3 which I preferably term a ller tape,v

is in most instances desired for coaction with the belt I9, the equivalent of said filler tape could well be constituted by one longitudinal portion I3 of an exhibiting tape |22, as seen in Fig. 9. Both in this modification and in the main form of construction, tape is wound partially on the shaft Ill and partially on the shaft |19', a-nd the belt I9 is trained around portions of the tape wound on said shafts.

While a tappet wheel 25 has been shown of the radial arm type, one of the lateral pin type might well be used instead. l

As excellent results may be obtained from the general construction shown and described, it is preferably followed. However, numerous variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

In a mechanical calendar or similar mechanism, two parallel rotatably mounted shafts each having two spool portions fixed with respect to each other and a third spool portion rotatively adjustable with respect to said two spool portions, three tapes wound partially on the spools of one shaft and partially on the spools of the other shaft respectively, the tape on said ythird spool portions and one of the other tapes having week day names and month names and dates respectively, a belt trained around the wound portions of the other tape, feed means cooper-I able with said belt for feeding the latter step-bystep, and operating means for said feed means, the diameters of the tape portions wound on one of said shafts all having the same relation with the diameters of the tape portions wound on the other'of said shafts.

,. EIDEN L. HOS'IETLER. 

